SAR lacks decent urban and rural maps

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Earlier this month members of the Guild of Professional Writers and Broadcasters entertained a group of journalists from the UK and their general comments should be of value to anyone interested in maintaining and improving Hong Kong's reputation as an attractive destination for tourists and businessmen.

We are preparing a full report on the visitors' observations, which will be sent to the Hong Kong Tourism Board. However, two problems stand out and there is no reason why the board should not address these without delay.

While few would deny that Hong Kong has the best public transport system in the world the following comments make it clear that we have no reason for complacency.

There is a lack of good, clear, easy-to-understand maps in both the urban and rural areas.

The plethora of inferior 'commercial' maps is adding to the problem, and if there are first-class street maps and country-walk maps already in existence then they are not promoted sufficiently.

Another problem relates to the increasingly complicated bus numbering system and the multiplicity of bus services is now descending into utter confusion.

Bus numbers now range from the low single digits, to numbers exceeding 900.

Are there really 1,000 bus routes in Hong Kong? At each bus stop there are three of four timetables to choose from, but there is no single integrated bus guide or bus timetable.

In short while the buses are clean and modern, the organisation and administration of our bus services are more suited to a Third-World country.

Surely it is not beyond the capabilities of a modern city like Hong Kong to organise a decent street map, clear and readily available maps featuring country walks and then to produce one integrated timetable for public transport.